Habari gani, fam? Today we focus on the principle of kujichagulia, or self-determination. Any people that have struggled to throw off the legacy of slavery and institutional racism fundamentally struggle for the right to determine who they are themselves, instead of accepting the role the dominant culture pushes on them. As Black Americans, we deal … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2020: Kujichagulia
Category: Self-Reflection
Kwanzaa 2020: Umoja
Hot take: achieving unity is an active effort that requires us to see the virtues in others and the flaws in ourselves.
The 40-Year-Old Version
What can I say about this year that hasn't already been said better by someone else? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZj8lrSZHsE A novel coronavirus has spread across the world like a less-virulent (and less-deadly) Captain Tripps, wreaking havoc on the already tattered social fabric of this country. The President of the United States thinks it either doesn't exist, will … Continue reading The 40-Year-Old Version
The Rabbit and the Police
I am a black man who lived his entire life in the United States, keenly aware of the fact that any encounter with the police could result in my death. It doesn't matter why they've approached me. I could be stopped for a busted tail-light, or someone might be breaking into my house, or I … Continue reading The Rabbit and the Police
A Mindful New Year
Hey, it's (sort of) the first day of the new decade! Er, depending on who you ask. Judging from the many, MANY "Best of 2010s" articles I've read over the past few months, the consensus seems to be that decades begin at Year 0. Since the significance of these markers is completely artificial, that's a … Continue reading A Mindful New Year
A Worker’s Prayer
After a couple of months out of work, it feels really good to be gainfully employed again. To respect the privacy of this secret burrow location, I won't say exactly where I'm working. But I can say that what I'm doing now adheres to the practice of "Right Livelihood," which means I'm not making my … Continue reading A Worker’s Prayer
A Few Thoughts As I Turn 39
This time last year, I had just begun a new job that felt like a new chapter in my life. I had spent nearly ten years at a company that invested a lot in me and gave me an opportunity I'll always be grateful for, but after a merger had brought about too much change … Continue reading A Few Thoughts As I Turn 39
The Overnight Walk to Prevent Suicide 2019
I've attempted suicide twice -- once a short time after I was disowned by my mother for being gay, and again after a bad break-up with my first real boyfriend. Both times, I felt completely unmoored after severing fundamental relationships that also disconnected the fragile support networks that came with them. There was no one … Continue reading The Overnight Walk to Prevent Suicide 2019
It’s Black History Month!
I honestly don't know if Black History Month is a big deal to anyone who doesn't have to learn about it because it's a whole section of their American History class. Being educated in a predominantly black city, I was taught about the usual black American luminaries year after year -- Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, … Continue reading It’s Black History Month!
What I Learned This Month (January 2019)
January is usually dominated by two things for me: stress-testing the routines I've developed to fall into better habits, and Further Confusion 2019. The convention this year was actually pretty fun: I enjoyed myself at my panels, met a lot of really awesome people, and rediscovered my love of selling books (I was a relief … Continue reading What I Learned This Month (January 2019)
From the Desk of Jakebe T. Rabbit 